Chapter 1644 - 664: Unexpected Visitor

Chapter 1644: Chapter 664: Unexpected Visitor

Beep beep!

The mouse on the desktop clicked on a private email with an encryption mark.

After entering the temporarily generated verification code, the content of the email unfolded.

Sitting in front of the computer desk, Zhou Wang’s eyes narrowed upon seeing certain keywords.

A while ago, he had privately commissioned Qi Jiayi to investigate the early interactions between Ding Yi and Jiang Mo, and this email was Qi Jiayi’s investigation result.

There wasn’t anything too private in it, and Qi Jiayi didn’t draw any conclusions, but those verifiable historical news stories seemed to subtly point to a certain truth.

"At the beginning of 2021, Ding Baiyu stepped down as Jing City Mayor, and was transferred to Ming City’s legal and political system for a major position..."

"In the same year, Ming City experienced a fundraising fraud case that shocked the entire province. Though the amount involved wasn’t exaggerated, the number of people implicated was immense, causing a huge public outcry..."

"The newly appointed Ding Baiyu took charge of this case and a series of major cases, and quickly made achievements in office, receiving widespread praise from society."

"And the suspect in that fundraising fraud case was none other than Jiang Yunfei."

...

In the study, smoke curled around.

Zhou Wang lit a cigarette but forgot to smoke it, just staring blankly at the seemingly fragmented snippets of news on the computer screen in a daze.

He didn’t expect that the intertwined fates of Ding Yi and Jiang Mo actually began with their fathers.

Thinking carefully, the timing fits perfectly.

The year after he and Ding Yi took the college entrance exam, they weren’t affected by the Jing City fire incident. After Mr. Ding’s condition stabilized, Ding Baiyu was promoted from Jing City to Ming City.

Back then, although Ding Baiyu weathered a crisis, he must have also yearned to seize political capital amidst the turbulent external environment, so he personally took command of a series of major cases...

Jiang Yunfei also became an insignificant "scapegoat" in such circumstances.

No, it can’t be said like that, Jiang Yunfei wasn’t innocent after all. Maybe his original intention wasn’t "fraud," but his "fundraising" actions did harm many people, crossing legal boundaries.

It could be said he just happened to hit the mark, which might also be why the sentence from the first trial was so heavy.

"So Ding Yi treated Jiang Mo so specially because of empathy and sympathy? After all, from a certain perspective, it’s her father who ’ruined’ Jiang Mo’s family..."

Zhou Wang murmured, "Is this the prelude to the ’Song of Ice and Fire’ bonds?"

[Bonds—Song of Ice and Fire: A deep-seated reason exists between the character and the host’s associated character, leading to a complex perception of the host’s associated character.]

After recalling the system’s description of this character bond, Zhou Wang easily drew this conclusion.

"But it still feels like this reason is too far-fetched. Ding Yi isn’t the naive type. Even if she sympathizes with Jiang Mo, Jiang Yunfei did break the law. Could it be that Ding Yi thinks Jiang Yunfei is actually wronged and there’s more hidden behind the case?"

Zhou Wang frowned and thought.

"Of course, there’s also the possibility that Jiang Mo and Ding Yi have some stories of their own. Maybe Jiang Mo once helped Ding Yi, and then Ding Yi discovered that her father was Jiang Yunfei. This led to guilt, which deepened over subsequent interactions..."

Zhou Wang intuitively felt that the second possibility might be more likely.

But as for what the truth really is, he’ll have to find an opportunity to discreetly inquire with the senior sister.

However, Zhou Wang felt that Jiang Mo might not have a clear answer either. She might not even know that Ding Yi’s father once held Jiang Yunfei’s fate in his hands...

After all, Ding Baiyu didn’t hold that position for long, and who knows where he’s been promoted to now.

And someone like Jiang Yunfei, to Ding Yi’s father, was probably just an insignificant "small figure" in his life trajectory. He likely wouldn’t even remember the name.

After contemplating for a long time, Zhou Wang extinguished the half-burnt cigarette in his hand, his furrowed brows gradually relaxing.

In any case, Qi Jiayi’s investigation results somewhat cleared some doubts in his heart, grasping some deeper reasons for Ding Yi’s unique attitude towards Jiang Mo.

This might become something he can utilize in the ambiguous future...

Zhou Wang had a vague premonition that it would be very useful to him.

On a certain day, when he is reluctant to let go of the complex feelings for Ding Yi and forced to confront the enormous pressure brought by her unique family background...

Knock, knock, knock!

The knocking interrupted Zhou Wang’s thoughts.

Turning around, Zhou Wang saw Xu Wenqian standing at the open door of the study.

"Boss, why are you smoking so much? Is something troubling you?"

Xu Wenqian walked in, pressing the air exchange button by the door first, then came over with concern to Zhou Wang’s side, gently massaging his forehead with her slender fingers.

"It’s nothing, just thinking about some issues."

Zhou Wang closed the email, then wrapped his arm around Xu Wenqian’s slender waist, "Qianqian, is there something going on?"

It’s unusual for Xu Wenqian to disturb him while he’s in the study.

"Boss, guests have begun to arrive one after another... Charles is here too. But if you’d prefer to rest a bit longer, I can tell him."

"Charles is here too?"

Zhou Wang glanced at his Patek Philippe dual-sided engraved black starry sky watch in surprise. It was just past five, and the scheduled party time was six. While many who felt their status wasn’t sufficient might arrive early, Charles was clearly not in that category.